Government says taxi hailing firm Yango has provided the much needed competition in the public transport sector. Southern Province Minister Cornelius Mweetwa said government is happy that the entry of Yango on the Zambian market has resulted in affordable fares for commuters.
Mr Mweetwa who is also ruling PF Secretary General party spokesperson said government is happy that Yango is also supporting a lot of taxi drivers with business opportunities.
He was speaking on Thursday when he featured on Hot FM’s Hot Seat radio programme.
Mr Mweetwa was responding to a phone call from a taxi driver of Lusaka who asked government to intervene in the alleged lower fees charged by Yango in Zambia.
The caller lamented how it is becoming difficult for him and other taxi drivers to make significant earnings because of Yango’s alleged lower fares.
But Mr Mweetwa explained that government cannot directly intervene in the issue of fares charged by Yango as a company.
“As government, we cannot step in and say Yango should be charging so much, that is purely a private sector issue, the only thing we can do as government is creating an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish,” he said.
Mr. Mweetwa said government supports all the technological advancements brought in by companies such as Yango.
“On the prices charged, I feel that the fares were part of Yango’s market entry strategy and I believe they will revise their rates once they settle down in the market,” Mr Mweetwa said.
Competition gives the customer room to choose what is best for them. Anyone against competition should disappear into the past.
Same as forcing passengers to board rundown minibuses…. it’s not right…we should be given chance to board roadworthy vehicles.
Zambia must go on free economic enterprises. Yes it is wrong to force people to board a bus. As a client, I should have a choose which bus to board just like which shop can I buy goods free.
Some buses are very dirty. You go in and come out dirt. in some buses, all seats are torn and wires are protruding and damaging clients cloths.
Also there must be as many Associations as possible as there are shops.
Conniving in fixing prices is not capitalism but criminal.
MWEETWA IS THE SPOKESPERSON NOT SECRETARY GENERAL
Mr Mweetwa , out of 13 districts of Southern Province, you have only visited mazabuka, monze because they are on the way to Choma and livingstone because you have two girlfriends there. Before you ran away from Choma to lusaka, we reminded you that Southern province wants development and not political statements. Please be reminded that Pemba, gwembe and other districts without prostitutes require your attention including the civil service and companies. clearly no development strategy under you . Atleast Hamukale and Muchima was focused and pro-people and not this English language eloquence rhetoric you are feeding us. Sir, stop specializing in hiding from us. These are the ministers that will make HH fail
Upnd does not care about you poor Zambians. Upnd leaders are linked to the owners of this yango company. So they have everything to gain by undercutting other drivers. The people who will suffer are our poor drivers who lack resources to compete with capitalist backed businesses. The caller driver will vote pf next election
Why cant yango be introduced kuma local bus routes were one can book a sit at a very low price unlike these prices we are subjected to
When you can’t fight them join them, so let all tax drivers join yango it’s as simple as that
Pf futi